Pan fried chicken drumsticks recipe that is quick and cooks in 30 minutes. These stove top chicken legs are flavorful, easy to make, the inside moist and tender, and the skin crispy. Let me show you step by step how to cook chicken drumsticks on the stove.
Pan Fried Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
This is the best pan fried chicken drumsticks recipe because it's simple, quick and you get delicious, well cooked chicken.
It comes out with crispy skin and the inside is tender, moist and perfectly cooked.
Pan fried chicken legs are healthier than deep fried because it uses way less oil to cook.
Seasoned with few pantry ingredients, these stove top drumsticks are juicy and flavorful.
This recipe is paleo friendly, low carb and keto.
It's budget friendly, makes use of clean ingredients, no flour added, no panko or breading.
To use any other part of chicken, check my post on stove top chicken thighs or stove top chicken breast.
Ingredients
Chicken Drumsticks - I've used bone in skin on chicken drumsticks for this post. You can take off the skin if you like and that also reduces the calories. You can also use chicken leg quarters.
Paprika - I use smoked paprika. You can use this or mix with sweet paprika.
Garlic granules
Onion granules
Parsley
Black pepper - You can use any other type of ground dried pepper.
Salt
Oil - Vegetable, sunflower, olive or coconut oil are ones i've used with good result.
Some other Seasonings you can use are:
Taco seasoning
How To Pan Fry Chicken Legs (Stove top Chicken Drumsticks)
Add the paprika, onion granules, garlic granules, black pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Mix well till they are well combined.
Using a paper towel, pat the drumsticks dry.
Add the chicken drumsticks into a bowl then and in the seasoning mix. Mix the seasoning with drumsticks till the drumsticks are evenly coated.
Place a skillet or frying pan over medium heat then add the oil into the pan.
Arrange the drumsticks in the pan with the meaty skin side down.
Pan fry for 8 minutes then flip to the other side and pan fry for another 8 minutes.
Add 2 cups of water into the pan, then cook on low heat till the water dries up or till cooked (this takes about 12- 15 minutes), or leave some pan juice to serve with the chicken.
When the chicken legs are cooked, take the skillet off the stove.
You will know the chicken is cooked when there's no pinkiness in the middle and the juice runs clear. You can also check with a thermometer. The internal temperature should be at least 75C/165F for it to be safe to eat.
Serve and enjoy.
How Long to Pan Fry Chicken Legs
How long to cook chicken legs on the stove depends on factors such as the size of the chicken.
It takes about 30 minutes to pan fry chicken drumsticks that are medium sized. Cooking it for 30 minutes or longer ensures that not only will the outside be cooked, but inside well cooked and juice runs clear.
For chicken leg quarters, it takes the same time of 30 minutes of cooking over medium heat.
What To serve with
Below are some sides we like to serve with:
Sauteed vegetables, and spicy rice.
Boiled carrots and boiled potatoes.
Air fryer potatoes, and boiled broccoli.
Fried spaghetti, pasta
Dipping sauces like peri peri sauce, bbq sauce, buffalo sauce, garlic parmesan, and others.
Storage Information
You can freeze cooked chicken drumsticks or store in the fridge. If you will be consuming it within few days you can store it in the fridge, otherwise, store in the freezer for a longer duration.
To store in the fridge - Put in a plastic bag or an airtight container, then store in the fridge where it will last for up to 5 days.
To Store in the freezer: Put in a freezer-safe airtight container or Ziploc bag, label with name and dates then store in the freezer where it'll keep well for up to 6 months.
It can be reheated on the stovetop, microwave, oven or air fryer.
To reheat on the stove: Arrange the drumsticks in a skillet or frying pan, add a cup of water and put on the stove over medium heat. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes or till heated through and water dried up.
To reheat in the microwave: Place the drumsticks on a microwave safe plate, put in the microwave, cover and microwave on high heat settings for 2 minutes or till warmed through.
Tips for Making Pan fried Chicken Drumsticks
- Try and use similar-sized drumsticks for the same cooking time.
- You can add other spices to season or use homemade seasoning like chicken seasoning, peri peri seasoning, lemon pepper, or any of your choice. Using a different seasoning once in a while will give you a variety of tastes.
- Mix the seasoning with the chicken legs well so they are evenly coated.
- Although it's not necessary to marinate for this recipe, It's best to season the chicken and put it in the fridge for few hours so that the flavors can be well infused. You can season for 60 minutes, 2 hours, 4 hours, or in the morning ready for dinner time.
- Don't wait for the oil to be overheated before adding the chicken legs. That way the chicken skin won't get burnt.
- You can leave some pan juice to serve on the chicken or add cornflour to thicken to make gravy.
- Don't rush the cooking process as it's important the inside is cooked to a temperature of 165F/75C to avoid food poisoning.
Should i cover pan while frying chicken?
Covering the pan after adding water trap steam in the pot which helps to cook the inside of the chicken thoroughly and faster.
More Chicken Drumsticks Recipes
Instant pot chicken drumsticks
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Pan Fried Chicken Drumsticks
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 8 pieces Chicken drumsticks
- 1 tablespoon Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Onion granules
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic granules
- Salt
- 1.5 tablespoon Oil Olive , vegetable, sunflower oil
Instructions
- Add the paprika, onion granules, garlic granules, black pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Mix well till they are well combined.
- Using a paper towel, pat the drumsticks dry. Add the chicken drumsticks into a bowl then and in the seasoning mix. Mix the seasoning with drumsticks till the drumsticks are evenly coated.
- Place a skillet or frying pan over medium heat then add the oil into the pan. Arrange the drumsticks in the pan with the meaty skin side down.
- Pan fry for 8 minutes then flip to the other side and pan fry for another 8 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of water into the pan, then cook on low heat till the water dries up or till cooked (this takes about 12- 15 minutes), or leave some pan juice to serve with the chicken.
- When the chicken legs are cooked, take the skillet off the stove.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- You will know the chicken is cooked when there's no pinkiness in the middle and the juice runs clear. You can also check with a thermometer. The internal temperature should be at least 75C/165F for it to be safe to eat.
- Try and use similar-sized drumsticks for the same cooking time.
- You can add other spices to season or use homemade seasoning like chicken seasoning, peri peri seasoning, lemon pepper, or any of your choice. Using a different seasoning once in a while will give you a variety of tastes.
- Mix the seasoning with the chicken legs well so they are evenly coated.
- Although it's not necessary to marinate for this recipe, It's best to season the chicken and put it in the fridge for few hours so that the flavors can be well infused. You can season for 60 minutes, 2 hours, 4 hours, or in the morning ready for dinner time.
- Don't wait for the oil to be overheated before adding the chicken legs. That way the drumsticks won't get burnt skin.
- You can leave some pan juice to serve on the chicken or add cornflour to thicken to make gravy.
- Don't rush the cooking process as it's important the inside is cooked to a temperature of 165F to avoid food poisoning.
I am going to try this tomorrow , looks Amazing , fast and easy. Question when in pan for 8 min is that medium or high heat? Also after the water is added and it cooks for additional 15 min is that covered? Flip chicken?
Thank you
Hi Anna, It's medium heat. I do uncover and covered. When covered, steam is trapped in and inside of the chicken moister. Yes, flip the chicken legs to brown the other side.
Great and easy to implement! I don’t have an oven right now so this saved me - my family loved it!
Hi Olivia, Thanks so much for the feedback. It's good to know your family loved it.
This is amazing, and so quick!
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for this review.
I made these last night for my granddaughters who are 6 and 7. I'm a vegetarian so I followed the recipe exactly praying it would work! And guess what? It was amazing! My grandbabies raved about the drumsticks and ate two each! They loved the grave so much that I had to steal a taste. It tasted Supreme. I used smoked paprika and olive oil. Thank you so much!
I'm glad to read this glowing review. Thanks so much for the feedback.
Amazing! I used this recipe with some added spice and whole garlic. Fantastic!
Thank you so much!
While tasted good, the cook time was wat off for me. Rather than the 12 to 15 min with 2 C of water, it tool 35 to reach the 165 temp and clear juices. Hmmmm
THANKS SOO MUCH. NEVER MADE SUCH TASTY AND EASY CHICKEN IN A WHILE
Thanks for the feedback Carlos.
Thank you !! Kimi. I have never made chicken drumsticks in my life. But your easy explanation got me frying like a pro !!
I'm glad to read this. Welldone Inge 🙂
GIRL!! you saved dinner for us tonight. Thank you so so much. All three kids ate it up. I owe you!!
This comment made my day! Thanks for the feedback:)
I think my stove was too high, even at medium. I used a cast-iron skillet and the chicken was burnt after 8 minutes on one side. I have a commercial grade thermador. Any tips for how to adjust?
Try low heat and 5 minutes on each side to test if that works for you.
Can I make chicken breasts like this?
Here's the link to pan fried chicken breasts
This was great! Thank you for the recipe. It turned out very well and everyone definitely enjoyed it. I will be using this as my go to from now on when I don't want to use the oven.
I appreciate the feedback. Thank you!
This recipe was easy to make, and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely use this again.
This is good to know. Thanks for your feedback.
Hi Kemi, either 2 cups of water is too much or–despite my efforts to follow this recipe to the letter—I did something wrong. The legs were browned well enough and were tasty but even after 20 minutes on medium (not low as the recipe states), the water had not evaporated. I ended up having to remove the wet drumsticks from the pan and put them in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes to get them anywhere near crispy. The only thing I can think of is that I live near sea level so perhaps 1 cup would have worked, but 2 is definitely too much. Thank you nevertheless for your recipes. I genuinely appreciate people who take the time to share their knowledge and expertise with the world!